3 Tips for Selecting a Workout Partner

There are plenty of reasons to exercise in ways that target and enhance your cardiovascular fitness. Whether you're recovering from a cardiac episode or are simply working out to maintain and improve your fitness, it helps to do so with a partner. In addition to making exercise more enjoyable, working out with another individual can push you to new levels of physical fitness as well as improve your commitment to the activity. Still, it's important to choose someone who would make a good workout partner for you.

These tips can help get you started:

1. Determine motivations

While it might seem trivial, Bodybuilding.com recommends you make an effort to select a workout partner who has similar motivations for exercising. This can have a greater effect on your workouts than you might think. For example, selecting a partner looking to train for a marathon while you're rehabbing from a cardiac event could set you up to be in situations that you can't handle. Similarly, working out with someone below your level of fitness will not challenge you adequately enough.

2. Use social media

It's probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you consider how to find a workout partner, but social media can help. If you can't find an adequate buddy among your friends, family, and colleagues, then you may need to turn to the Internet. Sites such as dailymile.com allow users to post listings of their workout needs and regimens, and other site visitors can respond if they feel they are a match.

3. Keep each other honest

A key point of having a workout partner is so that both people in the relationship have someone else to answer to. This provides additional motivation that you simply cannot get on your own. Before beginning, have an open discussion with your partner about ground rules, such as when it is OK to skip workouts, if ever. Once these rules are set in place, you'll both be able to keep one another honest and committed.